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Snow monkeys in hot springs pictures

Most monkeys are happy swinging in the trees of tropical jungles but from the look on the face of this one there is nothing like indulging in a hot bath after a long day.

These incredible pictures are of Japanese macaques relaxing in a hot spring in Yamanouchi, central Japan.

Nicknamed the snow monkey, the cheeky-looking animals live a much chillier existence than their tropical cousins and they appear to like nothing better than keeping warm in steaming-hot pools such as this one.

Just the ticket: snow monkeys japan hot springs looks extremely relaxed in the ski resort town of Yamanouchi

Monkeying around: The monkeys close their eyes as they soak up the steam from the spring

The inviting-looking spring is in a ski resort town and from the incredibly human-like expressions on their faces they could almost be a group of tourists enjoying a relaxing break.

In the pictures the red-faced monkeys, who are covered in bushy brown fur, cling to rocks as they soak themselves in the warm bath with one looking so relaxed he looks as if he's yawning.

Welcome winter warmth: The monkeys enjoy the hot spring in their snow-covered surroundings

The snow monkeys are the most northerly non-human primate in the world.

Sensibly they spend the winter - when temperatures drop to below freezing and snow covers their habitat - warming up in the volcanic hot springs.

Freezing fun: A young monkey plays with one of its elders in the hot spring

I'm so relaxed! One of the monkeys yawns as it enjoys the hot spring with snow falling on its face

The Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), also referred to as Snow Monkeys, live freely in the Jigokudani park

The area is covered by snow in the winter months, and temperatures can drop as low as minus 15 degrees Celsius

Jigokudani is the only known place in the world where monkeys bathe in natural hot springs

There are around 200 monkeys in the park

They come down from the mountains where they spend the night and bathe during the day

The troops of monkeys have strict hierarchies, with babies inheriting their mother's statu

Only the higher status monkeys get to bathe in the hot springs

The Japanese macaque is the most northern-living non-human primate in the world

The Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata), also known as the snow monkey, is a terrestrial Old World monkey species native to Japan, although an introduced free-ranging population has been living near Laredo, Texas since 1972. It is the most northern-living as well as the most polar-living non-human primate. In Japan, they were historically known as saru ("monkey"). Nihonzaru (Nihon "Japan" + saru) is used in modern times to distinguish from other primates. Individuals have brown-gray fur, a red face, and a short tail. There are two subspecies of this macaque